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Daily Archive: July 11, 2012

(NNPA)—The unemployment rate has hovered above 8 percent for several months, most recently holding ground at 8.2 percent, the same as last month. Meanwhile, the African-American unemployment rate went up, officially to 14.4 percent, and we all know that means the real rate is even higher, probably in excess of 25 percent.

The U.S. Supreme Court may have upheld the health care law championed by President Barack Obama last month but that doesn’t stop the lies, myths and distortions about it. Republican U.S. Senate candidate for Virginia George Allen groundlessly called the health care reform law “a government takeover of health care.”

Ten-year-old Zach Woodworth has always been intrigued by the history and sound of the steelpan drum. So when he learned about the possibility of joining the Soundwaves Youth Steel Drum Ensemble, the Pittsburgh Urban Christian School student jumped at the chance. PHIL SOLOMON & SOUNDWAVES (Photo by Erin Perry)

Thursday 12 Art in the Park The Borough of Wilkinsburg and the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation presents Wilkinsburg’s 2012 Art in the Park from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Penn Avenue Parklet, 743 Penn Ave., Wilkinsburg, Every Thursday there will be food, music vendors and fun for the whole family. There will also be live entertainment.

This week I visited Highland Park, Black Beauty Lounge in the Hill District, Galaxy Lounge in Homewood, Shadow Lounge in East Liberty, Mellon Park in Point Breeze and the North Side Elks Lodge in the Hill District. Hip-hop artist Divine Seven and friends were chillin’ at the Classic Material event held at the Shadow Lounge in East Liberty.

by George E. CurryFor New Pittsburgh Courier WASHINGTON (NNPA) —Highly-respected media and entertainment executive William G. Tompkins Jr. has been name president and chief executive officer of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, a federation of more than 200 Black-owned publications. NNPA Chairman Cloves Campbell, publisher of the Arizona Informant, said Tompkins was selected from an impressive field of candidates screened by Carrington & Carrington, a Chicago-based executive search firm. BILL THOMPKINS

(NNPA)—For the love of Africa, we must commit to becoming a unified Diaspora. That unity cannot happen without economic engagement. Booker T. Washington told us more than 100 years ago that if we start our own businesses and begin to do business with each other; not only will we survive but indeed prosper. We should adhere to his wisdom and make it so that it becomes a campaign to incubate businesses wherever we are and start doing business with each other globally. I am talking about trade and investment throughout the African Diaspora that will create jobs, healthcare, infrastructure and wealth.

Financial Workshop JULY 12—The Business Institute of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania will host “Digging Out-Cleaning Up-Moving Forward” from 8:30-10 a.m. at Citizens Bank, 28th floor, 525 William Penn Place, Downtown. This workshop is designed to address financial issues that face small business owners and business professionals. Banking professionals will be on hand to directly answer questions. Topics that will be discussed are debt consolidation, cleaning up, identity theft and more. Registration is required. For more information, call 412-392-0610 or email information@aaccwp.com.

PITTSBURGH (AP)—A day before he took part in the home run derby as part of the All-Star festivities in Kansas City, Andrew McCutchen put on a show for the home fans. McCutchen hit two home runs, Neil Walker homered among his five hits and the Pittsburgh Pirates entered the All-Star break in sole possession of first place following a 13-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. ON FIRE—Andrew McCutchen, right, is greeted by Neil Walker, second from left, and Garrett Jones after hitting a two-run home run off San Francisco Giants pitcher George Kontos during the seventh inning in Pittsburgh, Sunday, July 8. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

by Brian MahoneyAP Basketball Writer LAS VEGAS (AP)—LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and three other Olympic gold medalists were already back. Add a defensive stopper, a potent scorer off the bench, and one of the NBA’s most explosive athletes, and the U.S. is certain it has a powerful Olympic basketball team. Better even than the one that won gold four years ago. 2012 DREAM TEAM—Coach Mike Krzyzewski, left, and USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo, right, stand with the 12 players named to the U.S. men’s basketball team, July 7, in Las Vegas. From left in front are: Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Deron Williams, James Harden, Andre Iguodala and Kobe Bryant. At rear are: Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Love, Kevin Durant and LeBron James. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jason Bean)